MANSFIELD — The North End Farmer’s Market kicked off Thursday evening at the NECIC Urban Farm.
This year marks the seventh year the market has taken place on Bowman Street, but it has been a crucial part of the North End community for well over a decade.
“Being able to have a market within walking distance is magnificent,” Tionna Perdue said.
Perdue, a lifelong resident of the North End, has been a part of NECIC since 2017.
“Our elders are able to come out and not only socialize but also take their time when shopping for local produce and goods.”
The first market of the year featured 14 different vendors including local produce, meats, breads, and other goods.
The market, along with the opening of the KV Market in 2019 on W. 4th St., offers a respite to a community that was long known for being a food desert.
Matthew Benko-Scruggs, the newly appointed CEO of NECIC is eager to connect to a city that reminds him dearly of his hometown near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“I’m very proud and excited to carry this mission forward,” Benko-Scruggs said. “Food systems can be very fragile and it’s important to know where your food is coming from.”
